


keep you longer

by seaweednoodles



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaweednoodles/pseuds/seaweednoodles
Summary: Korra reminisces on a memory and she and Mako talk about Asami. It's sad.I don't even remember what made me think of this as I wrote it last yearish? I found it with a few other things on my computer today.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 9
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

Korra sighs as she turns over, twisting herself further into her sheets. She looks over at her nightstand, empty bottles strewn across it’s length. She squeezes her eyes shut and pulls herself out of bed. She stumbled into the bathroom to brush her teeth, her life stood on routine these days. It was the only thing that kept her life moving. Korra glances through the tiny window in her tiny bathroom. Asami hated that window, this tiny bathroom, her entire tiny apartment. A memory lights before she can smother it - before she can drown it - before she can pretend it never existed. Gripping the edge of the sink, she lets herself fall into it.

\--

“Get up.”

“Leave me alone.”

“Get up.”

Korra traps the covers over her head, “Mornings are evil…”

Asami plops herself down, jostling Korra and the bed. “Get up.” She pulls at the covers.

“Stop.”

“Get out of bed then.”

Korra pulls the covers off to look at her. Asami glares back then breaks out into a bright smile that makes her smile right back at her. Korra blinks, as if to burn this moment into her mind forever. As if she had a choice in the matter.

“Okay! I’m getting up, but I’m grumpy so watch yourself.”

“I can handle you just fine.” She says with a flip of her hair.

Korra’s stomach flips at this, she looks over at Asami and she’s frozen too as if she’s realized what she’s just said.

“I mean… not like that. I just meant I know you. You’re my best friend!”

“Yeah... I - I know what you meant.” Korra’s heart falls into her stomach, but she reassures Asami anyway..

She watches her shoulders fall in relief, “So you wanna hit the track today? I’ve been working on this new satomobile and I wanna show it to you.”

She sinks further into herself before she responds, “Sounds good to me.”

“Cool. Go shower, stinky.”

Korra gasps, “I do not stink!” Asami raises her eyebrows pointedly.

“..... Okay so I haven’t changed my clothes in two days… we all do it sometimes!”

“Uh huh.”

\--

A banging from the front door rips Korra from the memory. With little patience, Korra pulls it open,

“What!”

It’s Mako. Not in the slightest surprised at his welcome.

“Oh hey. Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.” Korra apologizes inviting him inside.

He steps inside, his nose curling up at the smell. Korra rubs her arms, uncomfortable.

“Who visits you besides Bolin? Besides me?”

The retort forms and dies just as quickly, he was right but he frowns sadly, “I don’t mean to hurt you.”

“Yeah… I know man. But hey, check out this stuff I dug up. Maybe you could help me make sense of it all.” Korra pulls Mako over to her desk, files and newspaper clippings strewn across it.

“Korra…”

“Please, just hear me out.” He places a firm but soft hand on her shoulder, “Whatever it is, it won’t bring her back.” His voice barely above a whisper.

“She’s my best friend. I have to try.”

“We loved her too, Korra. But we have to move on, it’s what she’d want."

She flings the desk onto its side, "It’s the opposite of what she’d want! She wouldn’t stop till she knew and I will not give less than she deserves! " She's fuming, breathing heavily through her nose.

"That's not fair. We all want the truth. We all want to know why. But it’ll never be enough. No reason will ever make sense."

"It's been _four_ years, Mako! And they're no closer than when this all began!"

"You live with a tomb in the middle of your house! If this is what you think Asami would have wanted for you then..."

"Then what? Then I didn’t really know her? How dare you. I knew her better than anyone."

Mako quiets, "I know that." They're both quiet for a moment until Mako reaches for her hand. She lets him take it.

"We remember her. But we let her rest. It hurts too much to carry her every day.” There are tears in his eyes and Korra remembers he was in love with her once. That Asami loved him back once.

A surge of jealousy shoots through her body at the thought. That he could love her that much but forget her, to be able to wake up without her name on his lips.

"I'm not like you. I'm never gonna be the same again. I can't let her go, Mako." Her voice breaks on his name, Mako pulls her into his arms and holds her there.

They're quiet for a long time.

Mako lets a breath out into her hair, "She was in love with you." Korra's heart lurches in her chest, her body stiff with tension.

She's gone so still and he’s so quiet, “She didn’t get to tell you, did she?”

Korra pulls away from him. “Why would you say that to me?’

"Because someone should. Because you need someone to make it true.”

“And it is true, Korra.”

Korra lets out a heavy breath, “I have to go.” She grabs a semi-fresh pair of pants off the floor.

“Korra, wait.”

She’s shoved her feet into her boots already. “All I’ve done is wait. I can’t do it anymore. I won’t.” Korra has her front door opened and slammed behind her before he can say a word. She runs out into the dewy morning air, leaving Mako alone in her apartment. Behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Four Years Ago_ **

"Just a little bit farther, I said I'd meet them near the big West Side underpass." Asami says, walking a few steps ahead of Korra.

"Yeah okay. But why exactly? Do you even know this person? And why the heck are we meeting them under a creepy underpass?"

"What a girl will do for a good lead. I have to do this. Besides it's completely safe." Asami glances at her as she says it.

Korra raises an eyebrow at her in response.

"Okay... not completely but I've brought you along and look at you Korra! You're basically made of stone and you're a professional fighter of all things! Plus it's still daytime and really sunny out!"

"Who are you trying to convince?"

Asami stops and pouts her lip at Korra. "If you don't feel comfortable, I'll set this up another day and come alone instead. I don't want to make you do something you're not comfortable with."

Korra pulls on the ends of her hair and lets out a heavy breath, "Ugh. Fine, let's go. You know I'd do anything for you and I'm definitely not letting you meet some random person alone. But I will have you know you frustrate me more than anyone I've ever met!"

"Oh have you met so many?"

She punches Asami in the shoulder, "Shut up and come on." Asami catches Korra's arm, "Wait a sec. Look I know how up the wall crazy I drive you with all this stuff. Once I wrap up this story though, I have some things I want to share with you and maybe - maybe a vacation is in our future?" She looks nervous as she says it, or at least that's what Korra thinks but she's probably just fooling herself.

"Yeah, okay."

_**\--** _

They reach the underpass, Asami sets up shop against the stone wall, kicking a leg up behind herself. Korra stands in front of her, crossing her arms, "So... Our vacation... Where would we go? What would we do? I have so many questions."

Asami looks sheepish, "Honestly we have so much to talk about."

"Oh? Wait how? I'm literally with you almost all the time! You're kind of a leech."

"You did not call me a leech. Korra that's actually really rude!"

"Oi! I didn't mean it like that, I like that you're a leech!"

"Still rude!"

"Okay, sorry. But like where would we go really?" Asami is looking down at her feet when Korra asks her, but lifts her head just enough so that she can see Korra from beneath her lashes. "Where do you want to go? I'll take you anywhere - everywhere." Asami's voice low and husky and thick with an emotion unfamiliar to Korra.

"Uh... I don't know, I'm happy to go wherever you want to go, just as long as we're together. Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm more than --" Asami's eyes have narrowed on something behind Korra. She grabs Korra's arm suddenly, gripping it tight to her.

"What are you..." Korra hears movement behind her then an unfamiliar voice yell out, "Hey!" Korra turns her body straight into the swing of a crowbar, smacking across her temple. She falls to the ground, dazed and her forehead already feels slick - wet with blood. As she struggles to get up, there's another crack to her head again. She crumples to the ground again, this time falling unconcious. 

_**\--** _

Hours later maybe only minutes later... Korra opens her eyes. She's still lying on the ground but her body feels similar to the way it did after fight night. Except 1000x worse. She rolls over onto some grass and heaves her stomach contents into it. "Fuck." Then she remembers Asami. 

Struggling to her feet, Korra calls out Asami's name and starts to stumble around in search of her. Her eyelid is busted and blood keeps seeping into her eyes. She rips off a piece of her shirt and rubs her eyes with it.

Korra hears a ragged breath exhale right next to her. She opens her eyes to Asami lying a foot away from her. Korra falls to the ground next to her, the ground wet. Belatedly she realizes it's Asami's blood, whose holding a hand to her chest. 

"Asami! Hey, you're gonna be okay. Stay with me." Asami's eyes meet Korra's so slowly. "I'm... dying."

"No. No you're not. Where's my phone, I'm gonna call for help. You're going to be fine." Korra holds a hand to Asami's wound and brushes her hair out of her face with the other. "You're okay." Korra's searches for her phone again but can't find it.

"Asami where's your phone!" Korra frantically searches Asami's clothes with her free hand. "Come on, where is it!"

"I'm sorry."

"Asami stop, I just have to find your phone." Korra's search comes up fruitless, "Somebody help! Somebody help us! Anybody! We need help! Help!" 

"Korra." Asami reaches a hand up to Korra but falls back before she can touch her. Korra grabs her hand and holds it to her face as Asami's blood bubbles up under her other hand. Asami breathes out, her chest shuddering and wet. She fixes her eyes on Korra's and coughs, blood staining her lips. "Korra... I"

"Wait. Just hold on Asami.”

"Ko.." Asami convulses, her grip in Korra's hand slackens, she breathes out a long shuddering breath and stills under Korra.

"Asami. Open your eyes. Open your eyes, Asami! Asami! No... no... no... nononono." Korra pulls her into her chest. "Please, Asami. Come on, Asami please." Korra looks up at the sky and lets out a wail. "Somebody help!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i literally just wrote this in the text box in an hour... i don't know how i feel about it. plus i think i bummed myself out writing it. may or may not keep this chapter... idk

**Author's Note:**

> Asami was an investigative journalist who got in too deep on her assignment.


End file.
